No... we went from being terrible to having a rare top half finish, then back to normal for a season before Moyes progressed us on:
I took the liberty of highlighting our bottom half finishes to visually show the difference he made and how not 'out of place' that 17th place finish was compared the 7th place (under Moyes) that went before it.
2016/2017
Premier League 7 18 7 5 6 23 21 4 4 1 12 7 3 1 5 11 14 26
2015/2016 Premier League 11 38 11 14 13 59 55 6 5 8 35 30 5 9 5 24 25 47
2014/2015 Premier League 11 38 12 11 15 48 50 7 7 5 27 21 5 4 10 21 29 47
2013/2014
Premier League 5 38 21 9 8 61 39 13 3 3 38 19 8 6 5 23 20 72
______________________________________________________________________________
2012/2013
Premier League 6 38 16 15 7 55 40 12 6 1 33 17 4 9 6 22 23 63
2011/2012
Premier League 7 38 15 11 12 50 40 10 3 6 28 15 5 8 6 22 25 56
2010/2011
Premier League 7 38 13 15 10 51 45 9 7 3 31 23 4 8 7 20 22 54
2009/2010
Premier League 8 38 16 13 9 60 49 11 6 2 35 21 5 7 7 25 28 61
2008/2009
Premier League 5 38 17 12 9 55 37 8 6 5 31 20 9 6 4 24 17 63
2007/2008
Premier League 5 38 19 8 11 55 33 11 4 4 34 17 8 4 7 21 16 65
2006/2007
Premiership 6 38 15 13 10 52 36 11 4 4 33 17 4 9 6 19 19 58
2005/2006 Premiership 11 38 14 8 16 34 49 8 4 7 22 22 6 4 9 12 27 50
2004/2005
Premiership 4 38 18 7 13 45 46 12 2 5 24 15 6 5 8 21 31 61
2003/2004 Premiership 17 38 9 12 17 45 57 8 5 6 27 20 1 7 11 18 37 39
2002/2003
Premiership 7 38 17 8 13 48 49 11 5 3 28 19 6 3 10 20 30 59
_______________________________________________________________________________________
2001/2002 Premiership 15 38 11 10 17 45 57 8 4 7 26 23 3 6 10 19 34 43
2000/2001 Premiership 16 38 11 9 18 45 59 6 8 5 29 27 5 1 13 16 32 42
1999/2000 Premiership 13 38 12 14 12 59 49 7 9 3 36 21 5 5 9 23 28 50
1998/1999 Premiership 14 38 11 10 17 42 47 6 8 5 22 12 5 2 12 20 35 43
1997/1998 Premiership 17 38 9 13 16 41 56 7 5 7 25 27 2 8 9 16 29 40
1996/1997 Premiership 15 38 10 12 16 44 57 7 4 8 24 22 3 8 8 20 35 42
1995/1996
Premiership 6 38 17 10 11 64 44 10 5 4 35 19 7 5 7 29 25 61
1994/1995 Premiership 15 42 11 17 14 44 51 8 9 4 31 23 3 8 10 13 28 50
1993/1994 Premiership 17 42 12 8 22 42 63 8 4 9 26 30 4 4 13 16 33 44
1992/1993 Premier League 13 42 15 8 19 53 55 7 6 8 26 27 8 2 11 27 28 53
1991/1992 First Division 12 42 13 14 15 52 51 8 8 5 28 19 5 6 10 24 32 53
15,17,14,13,16,15,7,17 - Is it really the 17th that seems so out of place in that sequence?
But it may be clearer showing it the other way... Top half finishes coloured by manager:
2016/2017 Premier League 7 18 7 5 6 23 21 4 4 1 12 7 3 1 5 11 14 26
2015/2016 Premier League 11 38 11 14 13 59 55 6 5 8 35 30 5 9 5 24 25 47
2014/2015 Premier League 11 38 12 11 15 48 50 7 7 5 27 21 5 4 10 21 29 47
2013/2014 Premier League 5 38 21 9 8 61 39 13 3 3 38 19 8 6 5 23 20 72
2012/2013 Premier League 6 38 16 15 7 55 40 12 6 1 33 17 4 9 6 22 23 63
2011/2012 Premier League 7 38 15 11 12 50 40 10 3 6 28 15 5 8 6 22 25 56
2010/2011 Premier League 7 38 13 15 10 51 45 9 7 3 31 23 4 8 7 20 22 54
2009/2010 Premier League 8 38 16 13 9 60 49 11 6 2 35 21 5 7 7 25 28 61
2008/2009 Premier League 5 38 17 12 9 55 37 8 6 5 31 20 9 6 4 24 17 63
2007/2008 Premier League 5 38 19 8 11 55 33 11 4 4 34 17 8 4 7 21 16 65
2006/2007 Premiership 6 38 15 13 10 52 36 11 4 4 33 17 4 9 6 19 19 58
2005/2006 Premiership 11 38 14 8 16 34 49 8 4 7 22 22 6 4 9 12 27 50
2004/2005 Premiership 4 38 18 7 13 45 46 12 2 5 24 15 6 5 8 21 31 61
2003/2004 Premiership 17 38 9 12 17 45 57 8 5 6 27 20 1 7 11 18 37 39
2002/2003 Premiership 7 38 17 8 13 48 49 11 5 3 28 19 6 3 10 20 30 59
2001/2002 Premiership 15 38 11 10 17 45 57 8 4 7 26 23 3 6 10 19 34 43
2000/2001 Premiership 16 38 11 9 18 45 59 6 8 5 29 27 5 1 13 16 32 42
1999/2000 Premiership 13 38 12 14 12 59 49 7 9 3 36 21 5 5 9 23 28 50
1998/1999 Premiership 14 38 11 10 17 42 47 6 8 5 22 12 5 2 12 20 35 43
1997/1998 Premiership 17 38 9 13 16 41 56 7 5 7 25 27 2 8 9 16 29 40
1996/1997 Premiership 15 38 10 12 16 44 57 7 4 8 24 22 3 8 8 20 35 42
1995/1996 Premiership 6 38 17 10 11 64 44 10 5 4 35 19 7 5 7 29 25 61
1994/1995 Premiership 15 42 11 17 14 44 51 8 9 4 31 23 3 8 10 13 28 50
1993/1994 Premiership 17 42 12 8 22 42 63 8 4 9 26 30 4 4 13 16 33 44
1992/1993 Premier League 13 42 15 8 19 53 55 7 6 8 26 27 8 2 11 27 28 53
1991/1992 First Division 12 42 13 14 15 52 51 8 8 5 28 19 5 6 10 24 32 53
This is why he had so much time, because this was against a backdrop of sell to buy when those around were flashing the cash and buying who they wanted, despite this he got us to a Champions League spot, being the first to break the infamous sky 4's hold..
He didn't keep his job because of some nonsense ideal that it was because of some excessive back scenes chumery going on. He just did a good job, so got to keep it.